Residency Artist - Traditional Arts
Residency Artist - Music

Sogbety Diomande

480 Edgewood Road
Mansfield, OH  44907
Phone: (419) 544-0977
Fax: (888) 280-5735
Email: highlands@neo.rr.com
Website: www.sogbety.weebly.com

I am a native of Cote d'Ivoire and I make my living as a drummer and dancer. My artistic mission will be to transform my group of students into artists by focusing on each person's strengths. I work with all ages and abilities and will meet the Fine Arts Content Standards through music, theater, and dance. During a residency I perform for the whole school and then demonstrate and teach individual groups with each student having access to a drum for the duration of the residency. Students will learn proper technique and the three sounds of the djembe and will learn dance steps and drumming to traditional West African songs.

Recent works include performances with Kotchegna Dance Company at the Montana Folk Festival, Muse Machine in Dayton, Young Audiences in North Royalton and I completed a two-week residency at Ohio University-Athens' dance department culminating in participation in AZA for Paschal and Zelma Younge. I hosted my fifth West African Celebration drum and dance week and I accompanied on the djembe, Olivier Tarpage, dance teacher for Kenyon College dance department during a semester.

I spend most of my time working as a solo artist doing drum workshops, assemblies/performances, residencies, and lectures in schools, universities, community centers, juvenile correctional facilities, and libraries. My West African drum and dance troupe performs at festivals and universities.

In the small village where I grew up, children weren't taught drumming or dance so I had to learn on my own by watching others and practicing on my own until I was confident enough to play drums and dance at celebrations in my village and neighboring villages. I was the first born in my family so I was not sent to school, as I was needed to work on the family farm and care for my siblings. I am on the roster of Greater Columbus Arts Council's Artist-in-Schools program, Young Audiences of Northeast Ohio and am a member of Ohio Alliance for Arts Education and Ohio Artist Presenters Network. I am honored to be an Artist in Residence through Arts Learning.